Cristiano Ronaldo found himself embroiled in controversy on Tuesday after making indecent gestures during the Saudi Pro League match between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. Al-Hilal defeated Al-Nassr 2-0, pushing Al-Nassr three points behind the top spot. Al-Ittihad, the current league leaders, still have a game in hand.
Upon leaving the pitch, Ronaldo was met with "Messi, Messi" chants from Al-Hilal supporters. The 38-year-old forward reacted by grabbing and shaking his genitals while walking towards the tunnel, escalating the situation.
During the game, referee Michael Oliver booked Ronaldo for engaging in a physical altercation with Colombian midfielder Gustavo Cuellar. Additionally, former Manchester United forward Odion Ighalo outperformed Ronaldo, scoring both of Al-Hilal's goals. In contrast, Ronaldo received a yellow card and had a goal disallowed.
Oliver awarded Al-Hilal a penalty just before halftime, which Ighalo confidently converted. The second half saw a similar dynamic, with Ronaldo growing increasingly frustrated while Ighalo thrived. After Ronaldo was booked for fighting on the field, Al-Hilal received another penalty, which Ighalo again scored.
Ronaldo believed he had scored a goal for Al-Nassr in the second half, but it was ruled offside. Furthermore, Oliver reversed a handball penalty in Ronaldo's favor after a VAR review.
Ighalo's Premier League experience began with Watford before he moved from China's Shanghai Shenhua to Manchester United in the 2021 January transfer window. After the Covid-19 pandemic halted the football season, Ighalo's contract was extended by a year. However, he only made 23 appearances and scored five goals for the Red Devils.
This incident is not the first time Saudi Arabian fans have taunted Ronaldo with Messi's name. Earlier in the 2022-23 season, Ronaldo confronted a young fan who claimed Messi was superior to him after a match against Al-Batin.
Since joining Al-Nassr in January, Ronaldo has scored 11 goals and provided two assists in 13 matches across all competitions, including two hat tricks. However, he has now gone two consecutive league games without scoring, with his last goal occurring against Al-Adalah FC.
Ronaldo left Manchester United in late 2022, signing a two-year contract with Al-Nassr as a free agent. The club offered him a £173 million-a-year deal, with the entire contract spanning seven years, including an ambassadorial role after his retirement from professional football.
